Tanzania is East Africa’s food forte. That is how it was seen during the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) 2021 Summit in Nairobi held between 7-10 September, which sought to highlight pathways to recovery and a resilient food systems.
Sadly, President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was hosting the summit, which promotes inclusive agriculture, had to declare drought in Kenya a national disaster. The declaration paved way for the treasury in East Africa’s largest economy, to make mitigation measures and assist over two million Kenyans severely affected by drought.
In Tanzania, only recently this year the government started buying maize (the main staple food in East Africa) from farmers because the precious commodities was produced in surplus and there was no adequate local market. What a contrast between the two neighbours!
Looking at the geographical characteristics, it should not be surprising that Kenya is drought-prone. It’s because of eco-climatic conditions, with a few seasons of high and regular rainfall.
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